Avatar: Equilibrium
by Zylia
Summary: The Firelords used the power of Sozin's comet to nearly destroy the world. Now the Avatar must use the comet's power to save it.
1. The Test

**Disclaimer: Avatar the Last Airbender is own by Nickelodeon, and the other of this story claims no right to any references made the series, but the author does claim the plot, characters, and any original concepts created in this fiction which the author does not receive any income for.**

Chapter 1- The Test

In the capital of the Fire Nation, in a shrine near the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, a young girl mediated and contemplated her future in the middle of a ring of fire. Despite the light the world was dark beyond the flames surrounding the girl. The only thing that watched the girl was the sun spirit, or at least in theory as a phoenix statue, also in the ring, gazed at the girl fiercely.

She was fourteen, with black hair held high in a tight top knot. Her tan skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat because of time spend surrounded by flames. She hadn't opened her maroon eyes in hours, and her face held an serene expression.

The fourteen year old girl had tied her hair in a ceremonial top knot which matched the ritual clothing of an Agni Kai duelist. The only different between a man's uniform and her own was the maroon and gold wrap that covered her chest. A fine sheen of sweat caused the girl's skin to shine, and hours passed since she had last opened her maroon eyes.

The girls seclusion ended quickly and abruptly as the oils that fed the circle of fire ceased to flow. For a moment the girl sat in total darkness before light flooded the room when temple windows were opened. Daylight revealed large, red columns that disappeared into the shadows of the ceiling. On the columns and the walls between the windows murals depicted various legends of the Fire Bird

Despite the sudden change in atmosphere the girl continued to meditate.

"Very good young Firebender, now you are ready for the final test," the shrine's priestess announced as she entered the room after the acolyte who had opened the windows.

The girl didn't budge and continued to sit. "Young Firebender," the priestess walked up to the girl.

"Is she dead?" the acolyte asked. A small snore emanated from the girl's nose. "She's sleeping!" The girl's eyes snapped open after hearing the acolyte loud exclamation.

"Iz the vigil over?" she asked.

The high priestess giggled as the acolyte boiled with rage. "You were supposed to spend the night in meditation and thought, and preparing yourself mentally for the coming test. I think it is safe to say you will have to start over again," the acolyte announced.

"I spent the entire night in the temple and didn't budge Ji Nu. I heard when your vigil ended they found you on the floor snoring!" the girl announced.

"You little-" Ji Nu began.

"Both of you calm down. Your in a shrine dedicated to the spirit of the Sun. Not an Agni Kai ring," the priestess chastised the girls. "Hotaru, during your time in seclusion did you discover any hidden truths about yourself?"

"Eh..." Hotaru muttered.

"Can you remember what you dreamed of?" the high priestess inquired.

Hotaru thought for a moment before answering. "All I can remember is a black sword striking the earth."

"Interesting, very well you can carry on preparations for your lighting joust this afternoon. Its your final test before your declared a graduate and a Firebending master," the high priestess said.

"Thank you for blessing Lady Garuda," Hotaru bowed.

"Remember you will also expected to Lighting Joust a total of twelve turns," Garuda annouced stated.

Hotaru's eyes widened. "I thought the number was a six turns."

"You decided and announced your intentions rather publicly that you were ready to graduate. You can always wait until your sixteenth birthday to do perform a normal six turn joust. Sifu Surt just wants to make sure that you can actually perform to your own expectations," Garuda explained.

Hotaru nibbled her lower lip though stopped and stood tall when Ji Nu gave her a look. "I am ready Lady Garuda, I was just a little confused. Now if you will excuse me I have a joust to prepare for."

"If that is your choice. I and Sifu Surt will meet you at the outdoor auditorium at high noon," Garuda announced. Hotaru bowed one more time before leaving.

***

Hotaru walked through the halls of her dormitory, snapping her back and shoulders before she entered her room. She prepared her mat for a quick nap though found no rest herself as she laid down on her sheets. She glared at her still sleeping roommates whose dreams were making a loud impact on the waking world.

"Zi Fan!" Hotaru hissed and threw a pillow at the older girl. The sixteen year old's head emerged from under the covers, a startled expression on her normally beautiful face. Though older than Hotaru the girl was shorter. Where Hotaru was built like a sword ready to strike Zi Fan had the body of an ornate sculpture. Her soft brown hair was complimented by almond shaped amber eyes. Though her skin was a little darker than the preferred paleness of the Fire Nation nobility the color only added to her appearance.

Despite just waking up she glowed where Hotaru would have resembled a baby wolfbat with a bad cow lick. "Bad dream again," Zi Fan muttered.

"Was the suitor Sift Surt again?" Hotaru asked.

"No this time it was the Earth King of Ba Sing Se."

"That doesn't sound to bad."

"It was the old Earth King who died several years ago."

"Eww..." Hotaru muttered as she remembered the less than flattering depiction she had once seen of the old king.

Liver spots had never seemed so disgusting even though she had seen them on her own grandparents.

"How was the vigil?" Zi Fan asked as she prepared herself for the day.

"Slept through most if it. Lady Garuda didn't seemed to mind. Apparently I have to go twelve rounds with Surt before I'm qualified to be a master," Hotaru moaned.

"That▓s harsh."

"I've been stuck at this school for four years, and before that in the Free States I had a private tutor. I want to see my family again!" Hotaru announced.

"That isn't the only reason why you asked to be tested, is it?"

"No, well kind of sort of yes but I know I can do it. I just wish everyone else knew too."

****

Since the end of the Century War the lightning joust had become a tradition in the Fire Nation after Prince Iroh's lightning redirection technique had become common knowledge. A favorite game amongst children was "Passing the Spark," but games quickly turned to tests of strength, endurance, and skills when young men and woman were old enough to become masters.

Lighting Jousting itself involved throwing a lightning bolt back and forth until one opponent couldn't direct the lightning back towards their opponent or in rarer cases died because they attempted to do that. Four turns of a joust was typical for most schools though the Royal Academy for Girls practiced six turns in honor of half of the lunar year when fire bending was at its peak. In Hotaru's opinion some teacher who she had angered decided that Hotaru should honor the entire year.

Hotaru couldn't sleep and she spend the rest of the morning before her own in the library, reading the accounts of other jousters as she tried to discover another student who had to go twelve rounds. Hotaru would have been late to her own joust if a librarian hadn't told her about the lack of time.

She arrived at the jousting ring short of breath though in time to hear Lady Garuda's speech.

The student spectators made sure to sit far away from the official witnesses which included members of the School Council, various teacher, the school's headmistress, and much to Hotaru's displeasure her own grandfather. Hotaru gave the elderly man one hard look before facing her master.

Surt was one of the few male faculty members and the first man to teach Firebending at the school in seven decades Surt had taught at the school for seventeen years though their were rumors of an upcoming retirement despite young age.

Hotaru didn't know what to think of her master. His short skinny body disguised the muscles and his power. He was far from the most majestic fire bender with steel gray hair worn in an often messy top knot though when Hotaru looked into his lazy brown eyes she saw a spark of intensity that she had grown to respect.

They stood at opposite sides of the arena, and Hotaru breathed in heavily as Lady Garuda her place on the outskirts of the arena as referee. "Today we are hear to judge the lightning bending skills of Hotaru of the Free States and Fire Nation. Hotaru will be expected to joust with Master Surt no less than twelve turns, and on her final catch she will be expected to shoot her lightning into heaven itself to signify her ascend ion from student to master. Hotaru if you fail this joust you will expected to learn under Master Surt for no less than two years. Do you still wish to accept this challenge?"

"Yes," Hotaru announced.

"Then let the jousting begin," Lady Garuda announced.

Surt barely gave the priestess any time to vacate the arena floor as he charged his lightning and shot it at his pupil. With an out stretched arm Hotaru caught the lightning and let it flow through her body. A tingling sensation danced along her spine as the energy attempted to move from her stomach to her heart. She gave it no time to choose its own course as she sent it back to Surt.

Though Hotaru lost her ground during the joust she didn't fall and didn't allow the lightning to stray off its path. On Surt's final throw and Hotaru's final catch she felt exhilarated and high. The lightning flowed through her body longer than necessary, and a strange glint in her eyes was all the warning Surt had as Hotaru decided grounding the lightning would be a better spectacle than sending it too the heavens.

Grounding lightning was a technique that at best was risky and at worse deadly the person who imitated the attack. When the bender using the technique struck the ground the lightning would disperse and could in theory take down multiple opponents. The problem was more often not the energy would back track into the original bender and stun or kill them.

In a split second Hotaru reinvented the skill by discharging the energy in the pattern of a circular wave instead of a single shot that would fan outward. Around her the ground cracked and split, and despite her control the sheer amount of Lightning that had gathered during joust caused Hotaru's hair ends to singe.

The dust settled and Hotaru started to cough. She could barely hear the distant cheering of the student spectators over the ringing in her ears. Lady Garuda, Surt, and the witnesses talked amongst themselves.

Zi Fan left the stands, grabbed a near by bowl of water, and passed it to the hacking Hotaru. She let the water dribble down her font as she nearly tipped the bowl over to get to its contents. "Where did you learn to do that?" Zi Fan asked.

"I'm not sure, it just came to me there. I think I copied one of my grumpy's earth bending moves," Hotaru said. She stood, dusted herself off, and looked at her singed hair that had come out of her top knot. "I'm gonna' be bald!"

"Its not that bad. Maybe a small trim," Zi Fan tried to reassure Hotaru though she couldn't hide her grimace.

"Its not that good either," Hotaru said. The adults had finished conversing amongst themselves, and Surt approached Hotaru. "Did I pass?"

"You did do admirably during the joust itself, but grounding the Lightning was a dangerous move. We still need to decide if your responsible enough to handle your own abilities," Surt answered.

Before Zi Fan could protest on Hotaru's behalf the Firebender spoke up. "Thank you Master Surt." Hotaru grabbed Zi Fan's arm and walked off. The pair were quickly joined by other students as they left the arena.

Author's Notes: My first fanfiction in forever. This story does not contain any characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender expect for their occasional descendant so turn away now if you don't want to read a story that deals completely in OC's. If anyone is willing to volunteer I could use a beta.


	2. A Choice

Chapter 2 - A Choice

Hotaru sweated as she moved her way through a series of high ranking lightning bending forms. She practiced alone in the school's gym, her fellow students having decided it was better to vacate the area than risk a fight with the Firebender. Three days had passed since the Lightning Joust, and Hotaru felt as if the world were holding it's breath and deciding whether it should release or pass out.

Electricity discharged into the air as Hotaru finished a form she had performed five times previously. "Now you're just being a perfectionist," a voice stated. Hotaru turned around to find Sifu Surt standing in the doorway of the gym. "Isn't there anywhere else you can practice? Students who actually need to learn would like to make use of the gymnasium."

"Don't patronize me," Hotaru said. "There is nowhere else to practice. I'm still a student, remember?"

"Are you now?" Surt asked as he walked around the gymnasium. His nostrils flared and his chest heaved as he inhaled the distinct smell of burnt stone. "Do you remember your first lightning bending lesson."

"Yeah, it was two years after I came here. You said most of the students wouldn't last through winter," Hotaru replied.

"And if I recall you announced that you were the best fire bender in the world, and that you would graduate by then," Hotaru flushed at her teacher's remark. "I promptly called you forward for a demonstration, and you promptly landed on your rear ten feet away from where you had been standing after your first attempt at charging."

"I learned my lesson," Hotaru scowled.

"I thought you did, until you announced you were ready to graduate two years earlier than what is the minimum age for Firebenders. In all honesty Hotaru I thought I was dealing with a modern day Princess Azula," Surt said, and Hotaru's face turned darker.

"I'm not a psychopath."

"No, but you're arrogant, demanding, and impatient. You just couldn't wait for the proper time, and instead you had to rush into the Lightning Joust," Surt responded.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. The simple matter is that despite thick your head you were correct in your assumption. I have nothing left to teach you," Surt replied.

"So you'll pass me then?"

"No, that decision is up to the Witnesses though if it helps I'll vote in your favor," Surt responded. Hotaru stomped the ground and fire flared around her foot.

"It's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair. Sometimes all you can do is prove yourself worth. I know you've been fighting since the day you came here to prove yourself to everyone but you never will. I know there was a time in my life when I had to give up and move on.

"Are you telling me to quit?' Hotaru asked, genuinely surprised

"It's not quitting if the world won't let you win. But then again I'm just your master. I don't know anything about your skill," Surt sighed and Hotaru grunted. "If you could please vacate the gym by this afternoon. There are students here who need to practice."

***

"I'm sure they will let your graduate," Zi Fan tried to reassure Hotaru at dinner.

"I think they have spent the last three days deciding how to tell me I'm not," Hotaru said as she broke her chop stick and picked at her noodles.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine, why?"

"You'd normally be on your second bowl by now, and you passed on the forbidden peppers. Aren't those from the Earth Kingdom and one of your favorite foods?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking," Hotaru lifted her bowl to her mouth and proceeded to slurp.

"You wonder why they won't pass you? You haven't even learned proper etiquette yet," Ji Nu made a comment as she passed the girls and over heard Hotaru's eating habit.

"Its polite in the Freestates," Hotaru said between mouthfuls.

"This isn't the Freestates." Zi Fan watched as Hotaru's eyes widen for a moment at Ji Nu's comment. She stared at nothing in particular before she stood and slammed her bowl into the table.

"Your right Ji Nu. I'm not in the Freestates. If you were raised there you would actually have the balls to insult me out right instead of your pathetic attempt to half handedly insult me in polite conversation. Now if you and that stick you have up your butt will excuse me I'm hungry for some noodles with Forbidden Peppers." Ji Nu stood there open mouthed like a gutted fish as Hotaru walked off and Zi Fan snickered.

***

On the forth day Hotary slept and dreamt of a world on fire. Flames burned every plant, animal, and person until they burned to ash. The seas boiled until there was nothing left but the carcasses of fish, and the earth was scorched until the landscape turned black. Yet despite the carnage and death, Hotaru feared what came after.

Though she didn't discover what it because someone pulled her hair and woke her up. "What..." Hotaru emerged from her sheets. "...are you doing here?"

"Lady Garuda has sent me to fetch you. The witnesses have made their decision," Ji Nu said with a triumphed look in her eyes.

Hotaru just smiled before speaking. "So you get to be the messenger girl? Tell them I'll be there as soon as I'm ready."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I have to make myself look presentable."

***

An hour later Ji Nu was out of breath going back and forth between Hotaru and the witnesses. In a large class room Hotaru's judges waited for the girl to arrive. Hotaru decided that an appropriate response to her summons was to take a long wash and breakfast. Then arrive in purple clothing, the unofficial color of the Free States.

The witnesses weren't amused, in particular Lady Garuda seemed shocked though Surt completely contrasted the priestess with a bored expression. Hotaru sat in front of the witnesses, in particular giving her grandfather a long glare.

He was the embodiment of a Fire Nation noble. With his white hair in an elegantly arranged top knot, and his nails trimmed short though sharpened to precise points. The only indication that he was unsettled was a slight twitch in the inner corner of his left eye. "You took your time coming here," Garuda stated.

"I was just returning the gesture," Hotaru proceeded to slump in her chair and cross her feet.

"Hotaru, though you are a skilled and talented young Firebender your own control is questionable. We have decided to hold you back for another year of training at the end of which you can be tested again for graduation," the priestess stated.

"That's is?" Hotaru asked.

"That's it," Garuda repeated.

"Then I would like to make my own decision. I am dropping out of the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and returning to the Freestates. I am sure that the Firebending Masters of the Freestates will test me a second time and gladly accept my as one of their own. It has mostly not been nice knowing you all," Hotaru proceeded to bow and walk off. Leaving the witnesses in silence and shock...

Author's Notes: Heres the next update, and I want to take the time to respond to Yemi Hikari's questions because I think she makes some valid points. I'll start with the Avatar aspects. Its been nearly two hundred years since Aang lived. There has been two avatars between Aang and the current Fire Nation born avatar.

Now that the time thing has been explained I want to explain lightning jousting. Since Aang's time, Iroh's technique has become common place. Personally I could consider it a medium high level technique since normal lightning bending involves the creation of lightning, harnessing it, and then control it. The redirection technique is control which is admittedly difficult but something every fire bender starts to learn by the time they can walk. Also Hotaru is in the most prestigious Fire Bending academy in the world. They are going to expect a lot out of her.

As for the Airbender's return well that will be explained in story in the coming chapters.

I know the chapter is short and contains a lot of dialogue but they next one will make up for it. I will probably post it on Monday.


	3. Conflicts, Large and Small

Chapter 3- Conflicts, Large and Small

A moment of silence had followed after Hotaru had left until someone spoke. "Are we going to let a child talk to us like that?" Small spats stared immediately about the Academy endorsing a student with such an attitude, and whether the school would have been better off without her. Others argued in favor of keeping Hotaru at the school if she took a year of etiquette. Only the occasional voice suggesting that they should have just graduated the girl in the first place. Several witnesses would later agree that the final suggestion was just Surt's failed attempt at throwing his voice.

"Enough!" the voice of Hotaru's grandfather cut across the room like an arrow in flight. An almost deafening silence Zai Si Long stood and turned around to face the witnesses. "Here you are arguing about manners as one of the nations talented Firebenders is ready to return to the Freestates with every advanced Firebending technique that the Academy has to offer. Hotaru is my granddaughter and a minor. In the absence of her parents I am her legal guardian. This is a matter of family now."

"You know its not that simple," someone argued. Zai Si's look silenced any further protests.

"It is unless you want the World Summit hearing about Hotaru's out break. As far as everyone outside of this room is concerned Hotaru suffered from hysterics and a mental break down over her failure to graduate. She has decided to come to my home in the country to gather her mind, rest, and relax before returning to school in the fall," Zai Si announced and walked off.

Surt blew smoke from his nose, and Garuda sighed in a less obvious attempt diffuse her stress.

As Zai Si left the room he was quickly joined by his personal assistant. "Contact the captain of the City Guard and the captain of the Firelady's Wardens. We will need their best fire benders to subdue Hotaru as quickly and silently as possible."

***

"So your just leaving?" Ji Nu asked as Hotaru packed her stuff. Hotaru looked at the single bag she was returning home with. It contained a beloved childhood toy, a portrait of her family, an extra change of clothes, and a small coin purse.

"Just like that. I've lived like a monk, haven't I?" Hotaru asked as she slung the bag over her shoulder. She starred at the wall for a moment, her gaze focusing on sword and its rather simple sheaf. The oddly black sword had been a gift from her grandfather, who stated it had a history and shouldn't be used in combat. Hotaru felt that leaving the weapon behind would have been like willingly severing a limb. She hung the sword over her opposite shoulder.

"Don't change the subject. Why are you leaving?" Ji Nu asked as Hotaru rummaged around there shared closet and found another shorter blade which she tied to her hip.

"There's nothing holding me here. No one really likes me expect for you and possibly Surt," Hotaru tried to explain herself. "All I have to do is get a ferry from the port to the southern tip of the main island. After than all I can get a job with some traders and work my way home."

"That could take months!"

"I don't have enough coin to afford a sky ship ticket or even a ferry. Besides I'll be sixteen by the time I convince my parents to let me come home if I argue through letters. Surprising them is really the best way!"

"But I need you!"

"You did fine before I arrived. At least I won't be holding you back any longer!"

"But I like that you hold me back. Face it Hotaru, before you arrived I was a stuffy noble with a stick up my butt like every other girl here. If you hadn't chased off suitors over the past year I would have been engaged by now if not married. I won't have the excuse of an intolerable roommate anymore, and my father will have me married by the end of the season."

"Your engagement is between you and your father. I know I am a pain in the rear but even I couldn't scare your suitors away forever."

"What else can I do?"

"I don't know. Maybe actually talk to your father."

"I could never do that."

"What do you expect me to do? I can't stay."

"I could go with you."

"Are you nuts? Your father would have all of his personal guard and half the city guard chasing us down."

"Enjoy your freedom."

"You can always come visit me after I get home," Hotaru tried to grab Ji Nu's shoulder but the older girl pushed her away. Hotaru sighed and walked out of the dorm for the final time

***

Hotaru made her way quickly through the streets of the palace city, simply another nameless face in the crowd until she reached the city's only entrance. She crossed the threshold of the giant door, and stepped into the shadow of a guard's doorway to avoid fast paced carts and the contradictory slow foot traffic. In that moment someone grabbed her arm and pulled her inside the guard's room.

A minor scuffle ensured as Hotaru was forced to the ground and held by her wrists. A masked guard bent over to get a closer look at her face. "This is the one," he said.

"All this for one girl?" her captor asked. Hotaru's identifier didn't have time to respond to his companion's comment as Hotaru escaped from her captor hold by a performing complex roll that also aloud her to strike him square in the private parts. Hotaru proceeded to knock the second guard off his feet as she stood.

Three more guards blocked Hotaru's route so she performed the largest fire bending technique that she knew. The move caused the guards to block Hotaru's attack so it wouldn't strike the civilians outside. In that moment Hotaru escaped through the flames and into the panicking crowd.

***

Hotaru walked through the city's market place, staying in the most populated area she could find. After the initial attack and half an hour of hiding she had tried to escape through the entrance again only to find that the patrol had tripled. She had considered scaling the mountainside until she noticed that guards were also patrolling its rim.

During initial survey of the city's natural walls in a desolate area of the city, at least by the standards of the Fire Nation capital, she had been attacked again, and only managed to escape after running into a large group. Those same guards were still trailing Hotaru.

Apparently they didn't want witnesses.

"Excuse me, miss?" Hotaru's thoughts were disrupted as a voice called through the noise and masses of the market. A firecracker salesmen was trying to get Hotaru's attention. "May I interest you in some of my wares. The Summer Solstice is coming in a week, its always good to be prepared for the holidays. Perhaps you would be interested in a set of sparklers you can share with friends or maybe a special someone?"

"May I see one lit, please?" Hotaru asked.

"Sure, just be careful little lady," the salesmen said and lit sparkler for Hotaru. The girl grabbed it and watched it intently until it almost burned out.

"Hot," she screeched and threw the ember into a near by bin of fire crackers. Hotaru disappeared in the resulting chaos as the fire cracker salesmen gave the citizens of the palace city a free show.

***

Ji Nu sighed as she sat in the shade of a tree, in one of the Academy's public gardens. She quickly grabbed the attention of the occasional passer by, mostly young men, whose advances she rejected after giving them a few minutes of her time. "You are so predictable," a voice said.

Ji Nu's bored expression quickly turned to shock. "Hotaru?"

"Go back to the way you were before. Your being watched!" Hotaru ordered.

The bored appearance took place with the slightest flick of Ji Nu's fan as she used it to hide her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

"The guards are after me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You think its because I was rude to the witnesses?"

"As much as many of the teachers and school's governors would want that I don't think the city guard would go after you for rudeness."

"Well apparently they did? What's happened since I was gone?"

"Its only been a couple of hours."

"A couple of hours that I have been hiding."

"Apparently a firebending thief who was going to be sent to the Boiling Rock escaped from jail. The thief attacked innocent people at the city's entrance and set off a bomb in the market place."

"The guards attacked me first, and it wasn't my fault some idiot decided to set fire around his wares."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

***

Later that night, Ji Nu fanned herself in the interior of a private coach. In spite of the heat the shades were drawn closed. "Excuse me, sir?" a guard asked as the coach prepared to leave the city.

"Is something wrong?" the driver asked.

"Could you please pull to the side for a second. We would like to speak to Miss. Yuan," the guard state.

Ji Nu didn't give the driver the chance to respond as she pushed her door open and looked out. "Is something wrong?" Ji Nu's normally perfect appearance looked devastated. Her long hair was tangled and pulled into a sloppy bun, and her running make up didn't help.

"We would just like to ask you some questions about Hotaru Long. Reports say she was your roommate," the guard stated.

"You are right about the room mate part and the former," Ji Nu said.

"We just wanted to know if you knew anything about that girl's location," the guard said.

"All I know is that she disappeared earlier today. Good riddance. Sharing a room with that mutt for four years was completely horribly," Ji Nu fanned herself as she spoke. "Now if you will excuse me, I am returning to my father's for personal time and reasons."

"If you could just give us a few moments of your time?" the guard pleaded.

"I already gave some of your cohorts moments of my time earlier today. I would like to be on my way," Ji Nu stated.

"Now miss whatever happened between you and Miss. Long is no business of mine. Our priority is Miss Long's safety. Her grandfather states she was stressed out by graduation and that she was mentally fatigued," the guard stated.

"Safety, safety, if there is anyone who's safety you should be worried about it is the safety of my own mentality. For four years I took that mutt into my embrace. I protected her when others harassed her because of her Earth Kingdom blood, and do you know how she thanks me? By running off with one of my suitors! Now if you will excuse me I have my own mental fatigue to deal with," Ji Nu finished her speech and returned to her coach. "Good day to you sir. Driver please continue."

"Yes ma'am," the driver announced.

"But miss-" the guard began.

"I said good day," the coach lurched as Ji Nu slammed the door of the coach.

"Just let her go. The last thing we need to deal with is another noble's overly hormonal teenager," one of the guards companions said. The guard watched as the coach meandered its way down the palace city's single road and disappeared into the night.

***

Hotaru fell from the coach's ceiling as Ji Nu slammed the coach's door. She rubbed her shoulders and cracked spine before speaking "Did you have to take so long?" Hotaru whispered so that the driver wouldn't hear the coach's extra occupant.

"I had to make it convincing. Can we open the drapes now. I'm sweating."

"Now until we're out in the country, and you have to make sure the driver goes all night. It will be easier sneaking out in the morning if he's dead tired."

***

"I'm sorry sir, but there has been no sign of your granddaughter since she set those fireworks off in the marker place," a guard informed Zai Si Long of the current situation.

"Continue the search as discreetly as possible. Now just go," Zai Si sighed as the guard saluted before walking off.

"Maybe more guards involved in the search could help, sir?" Zai Si's manservant suggested.

"The only thing that will help is a house by house search which we couldn't do anyway and knowing Hotaru wouldn't necessarily work," Zai Si said. "Get me some whine, paper, the bison hair brush, and an ink stone. I'll write the letter to my son announcing that his daughter the Avatar is returning home."...

Author's Note: Yes, the sword she has once belonged to Sokka. How she got a hold of it will be explained later.


End file.
